Nature Girl
by ellewatson1
Summary: To protect her from an egomaniac hunter, Arella and John's daughter, Lilac, is not allowed in the national forest; but when she becomes 4, she runs away to an adventure in the woods. ORIGINAL STORY
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was a bright sunny day. A trio of doves flew over the trees, which glistened green in the morning light. Far from the national forest were suburban houses. A slatted window opened to let light into a room. A lovely voice floated out; the owner was a lovely brunette-haired maiden, dressed in a yellow and white gown with lace all over, and leg-of-mutton style sleeves, gold high heels, and a low ponytail decorated with a white bow. Her name was Arella.

Inside a crib, lay a baby girl with lightly tanned skin, blonde hair, and amethyst eyes. She laughed and lifted her arms as her mother picked her up from the crib. She spun her around lightly before holding her to her chest. She looked down, smiling as her daughter smiled back at her. She was dressed in a purple dress with white trimmed ruffle around the collar. She began to sing lightly to the baby.

"You are my world, my darling,

You're the most precious thing to me;

You are the song I'm singing,

You're my beautiful Lilac!"

As she finished the line, a handsome blonde-haired man opened the door. Upon hearing the door opening, Arella turned and smiled, her daughter cooing upon seeing her father. He was dressed in a pair of grey pants, a lighter grey blouse, a dark blue coat with gold epaulets on the shoulders, white opera gloves, black boots, and a belt around his waist. Clipped to his belt was his sword in its golden sheath. His name was John. He walked towards the two. Arella turned to her husband, smiling as she brushed through Lilac's blonde hair. John lifted Lilac's chin up, happily leading Arella out of the room.

Arella and John walked towards the national forest, Lilac in Arella's arms and John's arm around her waist. The birds, rabbits, deer, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, quails, and turtles inhabited the forest turned and smiled as they caught sight of the human family. They followed behind them.

John smiled as his wife sang softly. The animals couldn't help but join in song as the family walked by. Arella held Lilac close, spreading her other arm wide, showing her daughter the natural environment.

As she finished singing, Arella and John smiled. The group turned as someone began to come towards them. Lance moved closer to Keith not sure of who was arriving. It was a very beautiful young girl about their age, wearing a pure pink dress and had golden blonde hair set in curls and a smile that was worn like it was plastered onto her face.

She walked up to the crib where Lilac lay. The woman caressed the daughter's cheek. Then Lilac smiled and the friend looked happy. Everyone cheered, and the baby gurgled her delight, clapping her tiny hands. The red haired lady then presented the baby child with a gold heart-shaped locket with a swan engraved on it, which she dangles it near the baby's outstretched hands where she tried to reach out for it before handing it in her tiny hands, holding it playfully.

She also had another gift for the baby, and it was a swan plush toy that was 8" inches tall with embroidered eyes. The underside of the swans wings and tail were colored blue and the head features a yellow stripe. The baby instantly gurgled and a huge smile erupted on the woman's face. Watching this tender little scene was not only Arella and John, but the animals.

Suddenly, without warning, someone driving a blue beater pickup truck drove out of the open field and wrapped around Lilac, pulling her away from Arella.

"Lilac!" she shouted. As they all watched, a man with brownish-black hair, amber-brown eyes, a large hooked nose, a hunter-type mustache, and a developing beard. He was wearing a copper-colored vest with a pinkish salmon under shirt with reddish pink plaid type shirt with rolled-up sleeves and blackish-brown hunter boots. His was Sinise. "Whoo, a party!" he said gleefully.

He pulled Lilac close, obviously using her as a shield. He sat on the roof of his truck. He reclined back, smirking.

Arella went into John's arms. She looked frightened and John looked serious. Then Sinise started throwing Lilac up in the air making them looked on worried. He laughs again as she said, "Oh boys!" As 2 Alaskan Malamutes ran up, They ran past all the forest critters and make them jump out of the way then they lifted themselves up and was ready to chow down. Arella gasp she saw Sinise was about to fed his dogs Lilac even John look worried while Arella held out her hand hoping she wouldn't do it.

He lets Lilac dangle at the bottom of his tentacle towards the dogs with their mouths open. John held Arella and they both hoped that Lilac wouldn't become dog chow.

Arella saw a branch where it was tied to as Sinise began laughing. Arella glowered, pulling John's sword from its sheath. She cut the branch that she was looking at earlier, causing one of the tied sails to swing down and hit Sinise, caused him flying and landing onto his Alaskan Malamutes. Lilac went flying as John grabbed a tree branch and swung out to save his daughter. John caught Lilac, before anything else bad happened to her, and swinging back onto the deck and handing the baby to a frantic Arella. "Lilac!" she said, hugging her baby.

Sinise began to start his truck. "This isn't the end, it's just the beginning!" he said.

"After him!" yelled John, and the woodland animals went to capture him. He disappeared out of sight, but his voice echoed. "You'll never find me, but I'll find you, and your precious daughter!" he cackled as his voice faded out.

Late in the afternoon, Arella, John, and Lilac, were standing on the balcony, discussing the events that just happened. They were all still shaken by it. They had not expected to see Sinise, the sea witch Ursula's sister, at their daughters celebration. They had searched all over the town, but had not found any sign of him or his lair.

"Oh, we have to keep Lilac away fromhimh! Until Sinise is found, Lilac can't go in the forest." She took in a breath, and let out words that stung her heart. "And neither will we." Arella looked down at Lilac. She was playing with her necklace and toy. She sadly took the locket and stuffed swan, which Lilac had been cuddling on. She handed the locket and swan back to her friend, who nodded.

Arella and John sadly went back inside. Lilac was asleep on her mother's shoulder as the friend of Arella and John slowly dropped the swan toy and locket, which the latter shined a second before falling downwards in a deep hole in the national forest, never to be seen again.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Four Years Later

People from everywhere in town were getting ready for a party at the community center. A worried Arella was walking around in the magnificent ballroom was there looking for her daughter. There were bouquets of flowers, bright-colored curtains and many clothed and neatly placed tables, and a small spot for a music group. Everything was in order, and everyone was working hard to get everything ready. She now wore a periwinkle/purple satin flounced gown with full petticoat, two purple sashes on the side of the dress, sleeves past her shoulders, her hair was up in a bun decorated with a golden tiara with green and white gems on her necklace and earrings, and a pair of periwinkle high heels.

"Lilac," she called. "Lilac?" But no one answered. Arella huffed irritably, turning to look somewhere else. Then she went off. Arella sighed again. The community center had invited the children of the city as well. Arella and John wanted Lilac to attend so she could make some human friends.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the town was the national forest. Then suddenly, there was a slight laughter. A little girl that stood in front of them was a beautiful a four-year-old child. It was Lilac, who had grown into a sweet looking little girl. She had long blonde hair that fell loosely down her back with a pink starfish/flower hair comb on her head. She wore a pink dress with short puffy sleeves with insets of teal floral satin, trimmed with silver, a bodice with a pattern scallop/fin shapes below the waist, full pleated skirt that flows right down to her knees, and a pair of pink pumps to protect her feet. Over her shoulder was her pink bag. She was running around, playing with her best chipmunk friend, Chipper. Then after a second, she began to run towards the open field. Lilac started to follow the chipmunk, running up to the field too.

Lilac came out to the open field, then decided to climb on top to give herself a place to sit. As she sat there, Lilac sighed happily and closed her eyes. About an hour later, she began to look around again. Everything was so beautiful and full of life, the flowers were in bloom, the birds were singing, and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky.

Lilac happily hummed to herself as she picked roses and other wild flowers for her personal bouquet and was singing a small tune. The wind blew lightly, making her hair blow and making her look like a vision. After Lilac stood still, she then moved before she heard the cry of a baby bluebird.

Lilac put her flowers down and went to the tearful bird. "Hello, there." She carefully picked up the bird. "What's the matter? Where's your Mama and Papa? Why, I believe you're lost."

The bluebird started crying again. "Oh, please don't cry. Come on, perk up. Won't you smile for me?" Lilacl asked.

The bluebird stopped crying and began to laugh. Lilac giggled, too. "There, that's better." she smiled, "Your mama and papa can't be far." The bluebird started singing a little song.

The bluebird saw her parents perched on the next tree branch, waiting for their child. "There they are!" said Lilac happily, "Can you fly?"

Lilac let the bluebird fly out of her hands and onto the branch where her parents were waiting for her. "Goodbye," Lilac called. "Goodbye!"

Lilac grabbed her bouquet and continues walking around the area and enjoying the nature feeling. A calming and nice forest. No problems whatsoever. For now at least.

She saw a mother possum and her three babies who were all hanging upside down from a tree branch. Lilac amused, turned her head so she could see the mother possum the right way up. And with the look from their mother, her kids greeted Lilac simultaneously. Lilac smiled, and went on her way once again.

On the ground she saw a neat looking bluebells that were right next to a bush. She turned right side up and swam to it. She picked it up and examined it for a minute before placing it in her bouquet. Just then, Chipper came up to her. In his mouth was a white rose. Lilac gave him a thumbs up. She held out her bag, and he dropped it in along with the bouquet. Then he went up to her and snuggled in her chest. Lilac kissed him on the head.

As she continued on, she passed a hole in the ground that went deeper. A sparkle caught her eye and she quickly went back and poked her head over the edge to see what it was. Whatever it was, continued to sparkle in the sun. Lilac smiled for a second, kicked off the edge and climbed down to collect what was sparkling. When she came to the bottom, she reached her hand out and picked it up in her hands and examined the piece. It was a golden heart, however, the heart had a rope around it. Lilac saw there was also a plush swan toy on the ground too and picked it up. The locket and toy were covered in grime and was hard to see. Lilac put them in her bag and climbed back up the surface to get a better look at it.

It was now sunset and Lilac was still sitting on the rock, entranced by the golden locket and plush swan she had found. Chipper was sitting behind her, looking at the items too. "Cool huh?" Lilac said, turning to Chipper. Chipper squinted at the thing. Then, he exclaimed to Lilac that if her father and mother ever found out she's been come out here.

"I know, I know." Lilac growled softly as she placed the necklace and stuffed swan she had been examining in her bag. "They'd flip."

She then layed down on the grass while the wind blew through the flowers and through her pink dress. Her hands were under her head, and her eyes were closed. Then suddenly out of nowhere, Lilac gasped. "The party!"

Lilac hurried to get her bag as Chipper got up and ran after her. She walked quickly up the steep hill and through and under a bend broken fence and ran out of the field and onto the gravel road. Ducking under some loose white boards of the picket fence that lead to a brown roof house.

Lilac ran across the road, bend down where another half broken fence was as she came across her house and ran towards it in hopes that no one noticed that she was gone.

Lilac silently snuck to the back door that she used to escape the house. She quietly entered the home and walked up the stairs to her room.

Lilac's bedroom was so colorful and modern with its aqua dresser, white table set with chairs, pastel walls, and a colored designed wallpaper, giving it a fairy tale appearance. The bed was aligned horizontally facing the door. It was a beautiful queen-size bed with pink, yellow, and blue pillows and pink blankets in a beautiful bedchamber with paintings on the walls. There was a giant puffy rainbow-colored name, "LILAC", floated on the wall over the bed, and on the upper left, there was a bay window with a window seat with green window curtains, a pillow on a tiny ledge next to the window, a dresser and three mirrors. There were even whimsical sparkly pink tissue flowers and pink honeycomb balls tied in perfectly with the gorgeous pink tones hanging down from the ceiling. They was also tissue flowers attached to paper straw stems, some with glitter tulle and some in other bold colors.

Lilac was now dressed in a sleek white evening gown with green accents around the neck and green puffs on both shoulders with long fitted sleeves, and green slippers.

"Lilac?" Arella called from behind her closed door.

Chipper jumped onto her vanity and pulled down the red cloak and held it up for her. Lilac backed up and grabbed the cloak from Chipper, though the chipmunk forgot to let go and ended up being in the pocket in the cloak. Her door started opening and Lilac, upon seeing her bag out in the open, kicked it under the vanity.

Her door opened and in walked Arella. "I'm ready" Lilac said as she bowed slightly, her bangs fell in front of her eyes. Arella smiled and headed over behind the chair, which Lilac know sat down in. "Here. Let me help" Arella said as she grabbed her hairbrush. Lilac was quiet as Arella brush through her hair.

When she was done, there was a knock on the door. "How's it coming?" John asked, Arella moved out the way and John's eyes widened seeing his daughter.

"Oh, Lilac, Is that you? You look beautiful" Lilac's cheeks turned red and Arella nodded in agreement. "He's right" Arella said with a chuckle as her and John led Lilac out of her bedroom. "You're going to have a wonderful time tonight. Trust me." Arella said as they walked downstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Back at the community center, everyone was already at the party. While Arella was giving Lilac the whole tour of the place, down in the ballroom, the party had already started. The food was out, the music was playing, and young kids were dancing gracefully with their partners.

Lilac entered the room where a whole bunch of kids Lilac's age were chit chatting. Lilac could feel herself shaking with nerves. But once she had the courage, she stepped out, and started walking down the stairs. She hiked up the skirt of her gown and showing an embarrassed smile.

John and Arella were watching her then she started coming down the stairs as she said nervously "Oh, yeah. Mom's right. I can do this." As she continued, she started breathing heavily, but quietly.

Lilac took off her red cloak and placed it on a chair. However, Chipper who is still trapped in the robe starts mumbling, attempting to get out, but made no progress. He continues mumbling and squirming.

A few of the girls and boys waved at her. She waved back, smiling slightly. Then from behind her she heard someone cough behind her. She turned to see a boy standing in front of her. He had bright blond hair that was below her ears, blue eyes and a dark blue shirt. He smiled at her.

"Um, hi." he said. "Would you,…like to dance?" He held his hand out to her. Lilac looked at it curiously. She wasn't sure what to do. Then she looked back up at her mother, who smiled encouragingly. "Go on." Lilac turned back to the boy and smiled slightly. "Sure, ok."

As he took her hand, he lead them out onto the middle of the ballroom floor. Arella and John smiled at each other before looking back at Lilac. Then Arella crossed her fingers and hid them behind her back. After a moment, Lilac and the boy started to dance, and grew closer to each other. He placed one hand on her mid back, the other griped her hand tightly. He started leading them around the dance floor gracefully and slowly. Lilac was surprised at how good things were going. After twirling around for a moment, the boy pulled Lilac close to him. He put his hand around her waist, keeping her close to him. Lilac looked down at the floor for a moment. Then she looked up, smiling at him, and he smiled back. Then suddenly her face fell into what seemed like complete shock. There hanging on to dear life on the ceiling rails was Chipper.

Lilac looked up at him worryingly. For a moment all she could do was stare back at the boy. Then afterwards, the boy said goodbye to her and left.

Meanwhile Chipper was soaring through the air. As he started to come down, a chef came out with the giant cake. Unfortunately, he didn't see Chipper come dropping down right into the cake. The whole thing seemed to explode everywhere. Lilac put her arms up to keep it from getting in her hair and face. After a moment, she looked up. There was a large pile of cake and icing on a table. Chipper, the children, and the chef were covered in head to foot in it. Lilac rushed over to the table and kneeled down.

"Oh no."

Then Chipper burst out of a small lump of icing. He wiped cake out of his eyes and blew out the candle that was still lit on his head. Lilac became shocked, seeing her chipmunk friend like that. She spoke to the chipmunk in front of his guests.

"I'm so sorry. Are you ok Chipper?" Lilac said sadly. Then people started muttering in the crowd. Lilac turned, her face turning pink.

"Who is she talking to?" asked a girl, seeing Lilac speaking to the chipmunk. One of the guests noticed this as someone spoke to his friends. Another boy laughed. "Ha, she's talking to a chipmunk." Then everyone in the room started laughing. Lilac stood up, not knowing what to do. She just stood there, listening to the laughter fill up the room. She was shocked and hurt that everyone was laughing at her.

The chef noticed the light browned chipmunk and became enraged. He started to branish his knife and tried to kill Chipper, much to his shock. Chipper tried to avoid the chef's knife while everyone in the ballroom started to laugh. Lilac told the chef not to hurt Chipper, but the chef didn't listen as he kept killing the little chipmunk. Everyone kept laughing at her and Chipper was still trying to get away. The girl looked around, seeing the people laughing at her.

Lilac was standing in the middle of the floor. Everyone in there kept laughing hysterically at her. The laughter rang in Lilac's ears, piercing through her brain. She felt so embarrassed. Then she buried her face in her hands and started crying. The laughter got louder and louder, no end in sight. It kept going until finally, Lilac couldn't take it anymore. Arella and John looked at her with worry. Arella saw that Lilac was about to cry then she started running away from the party.

Then, face still in her hands, she ran towards the stairs. She didn't stop for no one, not even when both Arella and John called at her.

"Lilac." Arella called, coming down the stairs to catch her but she kept running and crying. She didn't seem to have heard her. She just kept running until finally, she was gone. Arella had a worried look on her face. Lilac runs home in tears, leaving the party.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Back in Lilac's room, Lilac was crying on her bed, still down on herself about the party, and is pretty much a laughing stock to so many young kids. Her gown and cloak are thrown on the chair, and her shoes are on the floor. She hadn't bothered to turn her lights up, so it was rather dark in her room. Chipper climbed up to her window and listened. He could hear sniff sounds. She was crying. It broke his heart. Chipper went in and saw Lilac crying on her bed softly.

Chipper hopped towards her as he sat down next to her. She should've known this would end badly. Lilac looked at Chipper and immediately took him in her arms. She hugged him close as she cried. Chipper didn't care if his fur got wet. His best friend needed him right now and she was the only thing on his mind. She let go of him and she said, "I'm really sorry about the party."

Lilac continued crying about the party while Chipper just looked on sadly. She was hurt at the people who laughed at her. After a moment, she wiped her eyes and stared down her bed. She looked in her bag. The golden shaped item she had found glittered up at her. Lilac reached down and grabbed it, along with the plush swan, while she kept crying. Then she sat up and laid back on her pillows, holding them close to her, crying more. At that moment, Arella came in and sat next to Lilac.

"Oh sweetheart," she put her hand on Viola's chin. "I'm so sorry."

Lilac didn't look at Arella. "What's wrong with me?" Viola asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Oh, nothings wrong with you." She answered.

Lilac looked away as she looked down in displeasure. She planted her face in her pillows, crying harder. Arella huffed at her hair in a calm frustrated way and looked around for a moment, as if the right words to say would just pop up out of nowhere. Then she looked back at Viola.

As her mother was talking, she was staring at the gold necklace like thing and swan doll. She had rubbed each of them with her finger, and some of the dirt came off. And when it did, there was a large yellow letter on the necklace. As Lilac had started to brush the rest of the dirt away, she saw her name written in neat yellow hand writing. She stared at it in awe and confusion.

"Lilac?" she didn't understand why there was her name on this trinket. "What is this? My name's on here!"

Then she started fiddling with it and continued to stare at it. Lilac turned to Arella. Arella didn't answer. Then she reached over and took the locket and swan from Lilac's hands and stared at them in shockly surprise and yet confusion.

"Were did you get these?" she breathed.

Lilac looked away, fiddling with her feet. "I…I-I found them..."

Her mother realized that her daughter went in the national forest and implied, "You went in the forest, didn't you? Lilac, you know you're not allowed over there!" she reminded Lilac that she shouldn't go nearby the woods after finding out.

"But why?" Lilac stood on her bed. "And why dose that necklace have my name on it?" asked Lilac, wanting to know about the locket and swan plush she found.

"Lilac, listen to me."

"You're hiding something from me." Lilac suddenly noticed that her mother was actually hiding something from her.

It was a statement, not a question. Arella stared at her for a moment. Her mother realized that Viola knew that she was keeping a secret from her and started to chastise her, "You deliberately disobeyed me! I never want you going out there again! Do you hear me? It's dangerous in the woods!"

"How would you know!?" asked Lilac, feeling hurt as she was told not to go nearby the forest. "You've never even been in it!" They stared at each other for a moment before Lilac started crying hard again with angry tears. Then she snatched the necklace and plush from Arella's hand and ran out. John sees that she is crying and comes into the room. He had barley walked in before Viola rushed passed him.

"Lilac…" Arella called to Lilac. But it was too late. Lilac already left when her father opened the door to find his daughter running away. He stared at his wife as he realized something happened between her and their daughter.

"Oh no."

She sat on the bed, face in her hands as she couldn't believe that she hurt Lilac's feelings. Then John walked over and sat next to her and put an arm around her. "Arella darling,…we both knew this day would come." Arella sighed again. "Oh John," Arella sighed. "You're right. It's time we trusted her with the truth." She put a hand to his chest. They went out of the room and headed outside.

Meanwhile, an angry and determined Lilac, still upset with her mother, stormed off to go back to her bedroom with Chipper following behind her. He then saw Lilac packing some of her items in her bag including the plush swan.

Lilac was now outside of the house, stomping onto the yard at night, wearing the locket around her. She was so furious with her mother she didn't even realize where she was going. As Lilac walked on for a minute, she saw her bicycle sitting against the tree. Lilac went over and started pushing it up towards the street with Chipper following her. Chipper was worried about her.

Lilac clutched the necklace tightly in her hands. When she spoke her voice was barley a whisper, yet seemed to carry so they all could hear her. "If no one's gonna tell me... I'm gonna find out myself." She grabbed the handles and started pedaling quickly but Chipper was sitting behind her and it made him go flying to the ground when Lilac road off.

Chipper begged Lilac not to do this and stated that the human girl was making a big mistake. Lilac didn't listen as she rode her bike, heading to who-knows-where.

Lilac was going into the foggy regions. She seemed to have felt guilty about leaving her parents like this as she started to miss them. She glanced down at the locket and sighed.

Sinise was watching the whole thing through his spell pot then he started laughing as he said, "Oh, this is delicious. This is divine!"

He smiled then walked off with his 2 dogs following him as he said, "We must hurry. There's a little girl out there who needs my help." And Sinise sets his plan in motion, and it will work out well for whatever he decides. And his plan will come to fruition soon.

Meanwhile, Arella and John were outside, looking for their daughter again. They stood on the stairs looking around. "I don't see her." "Maybe she's over by the wall." John suggested. "LILAC! Lilac dear, where are you?" She called. Arella sounded slightly cross while John looked worried. "Where could she be going?" Arella asked starting to panic. John was surprisingly calm. Their only thought right now, they need to find Lilac.


End file.
